A Tesla Roadster in orbit. A 'Starman' at the wheel. Why this incredible image has us excited about space exploration

Thanks to SpaceX and Elon Musk, a space-mannequin driving a red Tesla Roadster is burned into our brains.
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This still image taken from a SpaceX livestream video shows "Starman" sitting in SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's cherry red Tesla roadster after the Falcon Heavy rocket delivered it into orbit around the Earth on February 6, 2018.(Photo: SpaceX/AFP/Getty Images)

While Falcon Heavy blasting off into space served as another reminder of the wonders of space travel, the indelible image of this voyage is "Starman," the mannequin sitting inside the Tesla.

Here's everything you need to know about Starman:

Why is it (and the Roadster) on this rocket?

According to Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX (and potentially a real-world Tony Stark in the making), test flights often include mass simulators involving concrete or steel blocks.

Of course, that's not good enough for Musk, which is why we see Starman in a Roadster, playing David Bowie's Space Oddity.

"That seemed extremely boring," Musk said of settling for concrete or steel blocks. "Of course, anything boring is terrible, especially companies, so we decided to send something unusual, something that made us feel."

Starman's suit actually works

During a press conference following Falcon Heavy's launch, Musk noted the sleek spacesuit is fully functioning. The biggest challenge was creating a suit that can handle the rigors of space travel yet still look fashionable.

"That’s one of the qualification articles, so that’s the real deal," he said. "I mean, it’s dangerous, it’s a dangerous trip, you want to look good."

The other benefit: testing the suit in specific conditions — say, traveling in a Tesla on a rocket ship orbiting the sun — would help SpaceX move closer to rocket launches with human crews.